Address to the international workshop on greenhouse gas mitigation, technologies and measures
The Netherlands has a long history in combatting natural forces for it`s mere survival and even creation. Around half of the country was not Yet existent around 2000 years ago: it was still below sea level that time. Building dikes and the discovery of eolic energy applied in windmills, allowing to pump water from one side of the dike to the other, are technologies that gradually shaped the country into its current form, a process that continues to materialize till the present day. Water has not always been an enemy of the country. In the Hundred Year War with Spain, during which the country was occupied territory for most of the time, the water was used to drive the Spanish armies from the country. As large parts are well below sea level breaking the dikes resulted in flooding the country which made the armoury of the Spanish army useless. In this way they had to give up the siege of several major Dutch cities that time. These events marked the gradual liberation of the Dutch territory. Consequently, in the discussion on adaption and prevention of the greenhouse effect the Netherlands has a clear stand. The greenhouse effect will occur anyway, even if countries deploy all possible counter measures at once. So their aim is to prevent the occurrence of the greenhouse effect to the highest extent possible, and to protect the most vulnerable areas meanwhile, especially the coastal zones. In order to reach these goals the Dutch government has established a Joint Implementation Experimental Programme in accordance with the provisions made by the Conference of Parties in Berlin (1995).
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 484422
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-39686; CONF-9611151-; ON: DE97003750; TRN: 97:002478-0051
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International workshop on greenhouse gas mitigation technologies and measures, Beijing (China), 12-15 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]; Related Information: Is Part Of International workshop on greenhouse gas mitigation technologies and measures: Proceedings; PB: 630 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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